Monsoor wins FLW Tour on Potomac River

Yamamoto Baits pro Tom Monsoor of La Crosse, Wisconsin, won the FLW Tour on the Potomac River presented by Costa Sunglasses Sunday after bringing a five-bass limit to the scale weighing 15 pounds, 2 ounces. Monsoor's four-day cumulative total of 20 bass weighing 66 pounds, 11 ounces was enough to fend off second-place finisher pro Chad Warren of Sand Springs, Oklahoma, by 5 ounces. Monsoor earned $100,000 and his first career Tour victory.

"I'll tell you what, to finally win my first Tour event is the coolest thing that has ever happened," said Monsoor, who had eight previous top-10 finishes in Tour competition. "I've won a lot of tournaments and awards over the years, but never an FLW Tour event. I could die tomorrow and be a happy man. I don't want to, obviously, but I've had a good life."

Tom Monsoor (FLW Fishing)

Monsoor said he spent his week picking apart two areas of the Potomac River - a 100- to 200-foot stretch near an area known as Mason's Neck, and a 100-yard section of water in Quantico Bay. This week, Mason's Neck gave Monsoor the number of fish he needed to put together limits, while Quantico Bay produced the bigger bites that helped him best the field.

"I started at Mason's Neck today and like each morning this week, I got a limit by 8:30 (a.m.)," said Monsoor. "I culled one fish and then headed to Quantico. I made the run because I knew it would be out of the wind, and you can't beat Mother Nature. I figured I'd go to the only place I knew that was protected and that was it."

Monsoor said he caught two fish from Mason's Neck that culled before his day concluded.

"The limit-spot in Mason's Neck was about 2-feet-deep and had black, nasty weeds," said Monsoor. "The big-fish spot in Quantico Bay was around 4-feet-deep and had clean weeds. I think that's why the bigger fish were there this week."

Monsoor said every fish he weighed in during the tournament was caught on a black and blue-colored swimjig with a Yamamoto Baits Flappin' Hog trailer of the same color.

"It has two tails that flap like an old jig 'n pig, only this one is cooler," said Monsoor. "The fish liked the Flappin' Hog because it wasn't overwhelming. It was simple - there wasn't too much going on with it."